Product Reviews
TopPicks Index
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Civil Liberties
Should you have a reasonable expectation of being free from government observation of your political activities? Is freedom of speech an absolute right, or are there legitimate reasons for restricting it? What role does the media play in promoting free speech and in informing the public? Should abortion be a right or a crime? These are a few of the issues addressed in the books reviewed here.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Islam
What is Islam? Is Islam opposed to democracy and human rights? Are there good reasons to reject Islam and its theological claims? To what extent have politics and economics influenced the development of Islam in the Middle East? The books here answer those questions and more, presenting a critical and scholarly perspective.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Religion, Violence, and Terrorism
Religious leaders normally argue that religion is a force for good and love in the world. Yet, at the same time, we see religion regularly used for war, mass murder, terrorism, and even genocide. Why does this difference exist - how can religion be claimed as a basis for peace while so many use it as a basis for terrorism?
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Secularism and Humanism
What are secularism and humanism? Is it possible for a person to live without religion? Is it possible to be moral without religion? Must society have a religion in order to maintain order? Are secularism and humanism superior to traditional religions? These questions and more are addressed in the books reviewed here.
Top 9 Recently Reviewed Books on Science & Skepticism
Society today requires science more than at any time in the past. Unfortunately, people today are often scientifically illiterate - they don't understand science and they don't understand how to think skeptically. Every year there are hundreds of books published which deal with science and skepticism, some of which deserve a closer look. A few of those are reviewed here on this site. Find out more about these books and also the skeptical, scientific approach to nature.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on the Religious Right
The Religious Right has become a powerful force in American politics and society over the past 30 years. It has influenced presidential elections, sponsored constitutional amendments, and worked towards re-creating the United States along a more evangelical, fundamentalist Christian vision. Reviewed here are some recently published books about the movement and various groups and people involved.
Top 8 Recently Reviewed Books on Religion & Science
Religion and science are often seen to be in conflict - whether the specific subject is biology, physics, or even social sciences like psychology. To what degree is this perception accurate and to what degree are science and religion actually compatible? Take a look at some recent books on the topic and find out what they have to say.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Philosophy
It isn't easy to say what exactly philosophy is, how to study it, or how to 'do' it. So why has it long been one of the central subjects in Western academics? The reason why it is so difficult to categorize philosophy is because philosophizing makes up so much of what we do during life - there is no escaping it for anyone who want to think clearly or think about important subjects. So, we need to learn how to do it well. Read about some recently published books on philosophy.
Top 8 Recently Reviewed Books on the Paranormal
Is there a 'paranormal' world out there, where psychic powers work, where astrology can predict your future, and where aliens come and visit us in UFOs? Some people certainly think so, but others are doubtful and write skeptical critiques about those beliefs. Learn here about some of the best books describing and critiquing paranormal beliefs.
Top 7 Recently Reviewed Books on Palestine & Israel
Few people are unaware of the violence which keeps occurring between Israelis and Palestinians. Why is this happening - what are the causes, and are there any solutions? Everything comes back to religion: the disagreement and violence between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Understanding the role of religion in these disagreements is necessary to understanding the violence itself.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Law
The law is not an esoteric subject that is irrelevant to our lives; on the contrary, much of what we do is constrained or aided by how the law is written and interpreted. Understanding the law often isn't easy, but every year there are a few good books that explain the law and offer a critical perspective on how the law is "done" today. Here you can find reviews of recently published books dealing with legal issues, laws, the legal system, the courts, key legal decisions and more.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Judaism
Judaism is one of the oldest religions still actively followed today. Judaism is basically the "parent" religion of Christianity, Islam, and the many religions which grew out of the two of them. Learning more about Judaism can, then, help one understand other religions as well. There are many books published each year dealing with Judaism, Jewish history and Jewish issues. Archived here are reviews of books which tend to take a skeptical or scholarly perspective on Judaism, past and present.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books About Jesus
Who was Jesus of Nazareth, the person revered by Christians as the messiah? Did he really exist? If so, what did he do, what were his goals? Does he continue to have any relevance today? These questions and more are addressed in dozens of new books every year. Learn here more about some of the best recently published books about Jesus.
Top 5 God: Books on Gods, God, and Divinity
Does God exist? If there is a God, or any gods, what are they like? Did they create the world or humanity? Are they a source for morality? Every year there are a number of new books about gods and belief in gods - what are they are and any of them worth reading? To be honest, most probably aren't - but a few take a rigorous, critical approach to the topic and are worth considering. Read about some of them here (as well as some of the bad ones).
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Free Speech
Is freedom of speech an absolute right, or are there legitimate reasons for restricting it? What role does the media play in promoting free speech and in informing the public? What effect to large corporations have when it comes the people's right to know and to disseminate information? These are some of the issues discussed in recently published books which are reviewed here.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Evolution and Creationism
The debate over evolution and creationism can be very divisive in the United States. Which is the best explanation of the current diversity of life on Earth? Should both be taught in public schools? Are both evolution and creationism science, religion, or psuedoscience?
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Ethics and Morality
What are ethics? How can we lead ethical lives? How can ethical principles be applied in our lives and to fields such as science, business and religion? These are just some of the questions which occupy ethical philosophers and which are covered in a variety of new books published every year. Here you will find reviews of a few of the best.
Top 8 Recently Reviewed Books on Eastern Religions
People in the West tend to be most familiar with Western religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam in particular. Because of that most of their assumptions about religion are based upon those religious traditions - that, however, ignores all of the religions of the East - for example Shintoism, Taosim, and Buddhism. These religious traditions are just as important as those in the West.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Christianity
Every year there are hundreds of books published dealing with Christianity, Christian beliefs and Christian history. A few are worth taking a closer look at, and some of them are reviewed here. They can help you lean more about Christianity and the role it places in society.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Catholicism
Roman Catholicism preserves many of the oldest traditions in Christianity and it is the largest Christian denomination in the world. With headquarters in the Vatican, they control more land and resources than probably any other religious organization in existence. However, some Christians regard the Catholic Church as a non-Christian organization. There are many books published every year dealing with Catholicism, with some of the best reviewed here.
Top 6 Recently Reviewed Books on Ancient Religions
The religions we see today didn't pop out of nowhere - they evolved gradually from more ancient faiths which have largely, it not entirely, died away. What are some of these religions and how have their beliefs survived down through today? Learn about some recent books on ancient religious beliefs and what they have to offer.
Top 8 Recently Reviewed Books on Bioethics
What is the nature of life? What sort of value does life have - is it intrinsic, or dependent upon something like intelligence? What sorts of responsibilities do doctors have towards their patients - should they relieve any pain, even if it means killing a person? These are the sorts of questions addressed in the field of bioethics - find out more about some recent books on the subject.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on the Bible
The Bible is one of the most important, influential and widely read books in Western Civilization. Thus, learning more about it and what it says is helpful in understanding more about Western culture and history - not to mention Judaism and Christianity, two religions based upon what we know as the Bible.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on Alternative Medicine
What is alternative medicine? Does it do any good? Why do people pay money for it? The popularity of alternative medicine has increased dramatically in recent years, but understanding of scientific medicine hasn't. There are a lot of books out there which promote various alternative treatments, like homeopathy and acupuncture, but not as many which take a skeptical, critical look at the industry.
Top 10 Recently Reviewed Books on American Religion
Religion plays an important role in American society, just as it does in most societies. Religion in America is not, however, quite like religion in other countries. It has it's own unique history and it's own understanding of the nature of religion, of Christianity, and of civil society. Learn here about some of the best recent books published about religion in America.
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